NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced opposition to an upcoming Manhattan event featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, saying he is troubled by what he described as the rise of an exclusionary political movement in India.
Bhagwat, head of the RSS – a Hindu extremist organisation widely regarded as the ideological parent of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – is scheduled to address the gathering on August 29.
Asked whether the event should be cancelled, Mamdani said he did not support the rally but questioned whether the city had the legal authority to intervene in a private event.
“I don’t support the rally, but I don’t know if the city has any jurisdiction over cancelling a private event,” Mamdani said on Tuesday.
The mayor, who is the first Muslim and Indian-American to hold the office in New York City, also criticised what he sees as a departure from India’s traditionally pluralist and secular identity.
“The vision of India that I was taught by my family and one that I grew up being very familiar with was of a pluralistic society, of a secular Republic that believed in the belonging of each and every person who was from India,” he said.
“It has been incredibly troubling to see the rise of a movement that is predicated on an exclusionary vision.”
BREAKING: @NYCMayor Zohran Mamdani condemns event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and denounces the organization’s exclusionary ideology, which has contributed to India’s continued democratic decline and growing authoritarianism.#NoHateAtMSG #RSSOutOfNYC pic.twitter.com/EXMMgmej90
— Indian American Muslim Council (@IAMCouncil) August 25, 2026
Event draws criticism
The August 29 gathering is being promoted as the “Universal Oneness Celebration” and is intended to bring together members of the Hindu-American community.
Organisers, American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue, say the event has the backing of several Hindu-American organisations and is intended to promote shared heritage and interfaith unity.
However, a number of local organisations have criticised the event because of Bhagwat’s participation and concerns surrounding the RSS’s record and ideology.
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In May, the RSS, accused of promoting an extremist Hindu-majoritarian ideology, claimed it had organised overseas visits, including to the United States, to counter perceptions that it is a paramilitary organisation involved in attacks on minority communities.
The RSS describes itself as a “Hindu-centric civilisational and cultural movement”, while critics accuse it of promoting an exclusionary Hindu-majoritarian ideology.
Rights concerns over minorities
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has accused the RSS of being involved in acts of violence and intolerance against members of minority communities over several decades.
The United Nations and human rights organisations have also raised concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in India in recent years, citing hate speech, a religion-based citizenship law and the demolition of properties belonging to Muslims.
Mamdani’s remarks come as Bhagwat’s planned appearance in New York has intensified debate over the RSS’s role in Indian politics and the treatment of minorities under the BJP-led government.
